PitchFest

Do you have a completed manuscript? If so, PitchFest is your chance to pitch your manuscript face-to-face with agents and editors — and stand out from the slush pile.

PitchFest 2027 will take place in person on Thursday, April 29, 2027 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM EST at the New York Hilton Midtown.

PitchFest is set up like a speed-dating event. You won’t sign up for specific agents or editors beforehand. Instead, you’ll line up to speak to the first agent or editor you’d like to pitch. You’ll have three minutes to pitch and hear feedback. After that, you’ll move on to the line of the next agent or editor of your choice.  The whole session lasts for a total of three hours.

We’re thrilled to say that more than 60 agents and editors signed up to attend PitchFest 2026.

Here are some amazing success stories from authors who connected with their agents at PitchFest in the past.

Registration for PitchFest 2027 will open soon, and it will remain open until the day before the event. Registration for PitchFest is required for entry. There is no virtual option for PitchFest attendees, though a few agents and editors may take pitches virtually.

We can also help you improve your pitch! You can start by checking out our FAQs here and our video advice here.

If you register for PitchFest by Friday, March 12, 2027, you are also eligible for our Virtual Practice PitchFest (VPPF) event in late March/early April. With VPPF, you’ll have the chance to try out your pitch online during a 15-minute session with one of our Author-Experts. It’s a great way to get feedback before the in-person PitchFest. Sign-ups for VPPF will open on Saturday, March 13 and close on Friday, March 19, 2027. Each participant will give two choices of date/time for the practice slot they prefer. Slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis until they are gone.

Please note: PitchFest is only for completed manuscripts. If you’d like feedback on an incomplete project, please register for QueryFest instead. Register today for QueryFest!

Please also note: PitchFest is available only in a package with ThrillerFest, Master Class, and/or CraftFest and cannot be purchased on its own.

See the FAQ page for more details on how PitchFest works. Any additional questions? Just email Susan Lee, PitchFest Director, at susan@thrillerwriters.org

We hope to see you in 2027.

Let’s home in on two special (and very different!) parts of ThrillerFest: fireside chats and PitchFest!

In 2022, #1 NYT bestselling author Lisa Gardner hosted Joseph Finder, NYT bestselling author of 14 novels.

Meanwhile, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Isabella Maldonado shares her journey from attending PitchFest to landing an agent and selling her book… “and then Hollywood came calling!” This is the stuff dreams are made of, and it all happened right here.

What dreams will you chase at ThrillerFest?

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